Latest news with #AwakeIllinois
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville D203 board meeting packed with supporters/opponents of transgender student athletes
For the second time in a month, a Naperville District 203 School Board meeting was packed by people supporting and opposed to a transgender student athlete's right to participate in a girl's track meet. For nearly 90 minutes Monday, attendees debated the rights of students to participate in school sports aligned with their chosen gender following a junior high school track meet at which a transgender student reportedly raced alongside girls and won some of the events. Awake Illinois filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights alleging the district violated Title IX safeguards for 'engaging in sex-based discrimination within education programs or activities that receive federal funding.' Members of Awake Illinois and their supporters Monday held bright yellow signs with such messages as 'Stop Exploiting Kids,' 'Freeze Federal Funds' and 'Defend Title IX,' and argued that allowing trans students to participate in girls' sports harms female athletes and their access to fair competition. Shannon Adcock, a Naperville resident who founded Awake Illinois, said the U.S. Department of Education announced it is recognizing June as Title IX Month in honor of the the 53rd anniversary of the law. Title IX provides women protections on the basis of sex in all educational activities, including their rights to equal opportunity in sports and sex-segregated intimate spaces, according to a news release Monday from the U.S. Department of Education. 'Throughout the month (of June), the department will highlight actions taken to reverse the Biden administration's legacy of undermining Title IX and announce additional actions to protect women in line with the true purpose of Title IX,' the release said. June is also Pride Month, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ supporters, who waved transgender rights flags and carried signs promoting inclusion, told the school board that excluding trans girls hurts an already marginalized community, who are at a greater risk for violence, sexual assault and suicide. 'Nobody voluntarily signs up to be bullied to the level that trans students are by both other children and adults,' said Charlee Friedman, director of operations for Trans Up Front, adding that families in the district asked for the organization's support to advocate for their children. Friedman said 21 trans children in Illinois have committed suicide this year. Bullying 'has become so emboldened since the Trump administration,' she said. 'We are here to protect children, to protect their lives,' Friedman said. Several speakers denounced Awake Illinois for spreading videos of the track meet and the minor student's image on social media. Derek Miller said he was disappointed by the behavior of some adults in the community. 'There were adults sharing photos, videos and the name of this student at the center of the controversy, and this is a child,' he said. '… I want to emphasize these are children who are being attacked.' While he understands points on both sides of the issue, some might be promoting the issue in order to 'go viral' or to appear on cable news stations, Miller said. 'That is disgusting, and it needs to stop,' he said. 'Our kids should not be treated as political pawns.' 'They outed, targeted and doxxed a transgender girl in your district … all because she ran in a track meet and won,' Peter Rivera said. 'Some parents were upset and instead of dealing with it privately like adults, they handed the child over to a hate group. There are good faith arguments about integrating trans athletes in their sports, but this wasn't a discussion. This was a smear campaign, a lynching, a coordinated effort to shame and endanger a teenager.' Diana Piedra said it was shameful Awake Illinois shared videos of the athlete. 'The only way to fight hate is with love,' she said. Other speakers Monday said girls' rights were being infringed by allowing trans athletes to participate in their sports. 'Most of America believes girls sports should be protected,' Adcock said. '… Boys sports. Girls sports. It is that simple.' Laura Hois, a Naperville Central graduate and co-chair of the Downers Grove chapter of Awake Illinois, said 'boys are boys and pretending they are girls is a lie.' Trans rights does not supersede the rights of female athletes,' Hois said. 'I think it's terribly sad and tragic that today this District 203 is allowing boys to intrude in girls sports,' she said. 'District 203 is subjecting itself to liability for violation of girls' constitutional rights, for violation of civil rights laws, for violation of Title IX and violation of common sense.' Some speakers said just because someone was born male doesn't mean they have an automatic physical advantage over girls. 'Exclusion invites gender policing that could subject any girl to invasive tests or accusations of being too masculine or too good at her sport … to be a 'real girl,'' Tim Rhodes said. 'Trans athletes and cis gender athletes all vary in ability as do we all.'
Fox News
2 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Illinois school board meeting madness continues as tensions escalate over trans athletes in girls' sports
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). An Illinois school district's board meeting was overtaken by opposing protesters for the second time on Monday night amid erupting tensions over trans athletes in girls' sports. The community has been embroiled in a growing divide after a junior high trans athlete won three girls' track and field events in May. The Naperville Community Unit District 203's board meeting saw nearly its entire three-hour duration dedicated to impassioned debates over the issue. The district's last board meeting on May 21 saw the same situation play out, prompting national attention. During Monday's gathering, like the last meeting, the seats were packed with community members of conflicting cultures, as half the room wielded transgender pride flags, while the other half raised "Protect Girls Sports" signs. Several speeches eventually erupted into loud boisterous lectures, while nearly every speech was met with a roaring applause from half the room. A pro-transgender speaker named Patty Drugan asserted that the conservative activist group Awake Illinois was causing transgender youth to commit suicide in the state, while defending the trans junior high student at the center of the controversy. "You need to take a look at Awake Illinois' website, and those are the reasons why these children are committing suicide!" Drugan said. "The shame is on all of you because for those of you who didn't disrespect that child, those of you who didn't stand up for that child, the shame is all on you!" Another pro-transgender speaker named James Katchmeric claimed that the rhetoric to keep trans athletes out of girls' sports was "Nazi stuff." "I learned what happened in World War II, and I found that trans people were the ones who were attacked first. So this is Nazi stuff," Katchmeric said. " The pro-transgender protesters sitting in the front row turned their backs to the "Protect Girls Sports" speakers at the lectern during their speeches throughout the night. Multiple speakers there to oppose trans inclusion in girls' sports wore shirts from the activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics. Awake Illinois founder Shannon Adcock wore an XX-XY Athletics shirt, vowed to protect girls' sports and asserted the federal government's authority takes precedence over the state's laws that protect trans inclusion. "We are going to protect these children and Title IX will reign supreme. Federal supremacy exists, it doesn't matter how many times people wish a certain state statute can overrule federal law, it cannot," Adcock said. Illinois law has protected the right of biological males to compete in girls' and women's sports since 2006. After President Donald Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order on Feb. 5, Illinois state GOP lawmakers sent a letter to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) asking when it would comply with the order. However, the IHSA responded saying Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Department of Human Rights have declared that state law requires that transgender athletes be allowed to participate based on gender identity. So the issue has persisted in the state, while many families and lawmakers are calling for Trump's administration to intervene, as it has in Maine and California so far. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., addressed a second letter on May 21 to the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice asking for federal intervention into the issue. Miller previously sent a letter in April asking for intervention. Miller's latest letter asks U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Education Secretary Linda McMahon to specifically look into the Naperville incident and consider pulling federal funding from the state, as seen in a copy obtained by Fox News Digital. School board meetings have been a platform for invoking that intervention in the state so far. Currently, there is one federal Title IX probe in Illinois regarding transgenders impeding on female spaces, but it is only against one school. Deerfield Public Schools District 109 is facing a probe by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights after middle school girls were allegedly forced by school administrators to change in front of a trans student in the girls' locker room. Illinois mother Nicole Georgas brought light to the situation in March after filing a complaint to the Justice Department and then delivering a school board meeting speech that went viral on social media. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Bears legend Brian Urlacher shares stance on trans athletes in girls' sports as issue rocks Illinois
Former Chicago Bears star linebacker Brian Urlacher made his stance known on the issue of transgender athletes in women's and girls' sports as the debate creates a divide in the state where he made his reputation – Illinois. Urlacher shared his opinion on the issue during an interview on the "Global View" podcast on May 9 and questioned why it is even a debate in some circles. "Why is it even a debate? A woman is a woman and a man is a man… you're born with what you're born with," Urlacher said. Urlacher even referenced an ongoing controversy in Minnesota, where a transgender pitcher is currently dominating the girls' softball season. The trans athlete reportedly won 14 straight games heading into the playoffs and earned first-team All-State honors rocked the state in recent weeks. "It's just different because we are men, there are certain things we do better than women, and it's just, number one, it's not fair, and if I had a daughter who had to be forced to play against a man I would not be okay with it and I would raise hell about it," Urlacher said. "I just don't get it, it's a common sense thing, I just don't see how you can push this and make someone thing they're a different sex." The Pro Football Hall of Famer praised President Donald Trump for signing the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order at the White House on Feb. 5. Illinois has become a hotbed of controversy over the issue of trans athlete inclusion in recent days after a biological male competed in a seventh-grade track meet against biological females at the Naper Prairie Conference Meet. The incident resulted in a Naperville 203 Community School District Board meeting descending into a heated debate over the issue on Monday. Awake Illinois has filed a civil rights complaint against the district, with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights alleging a violation of Title IX. They called on federal funds to be withheld from the district, which it says receives between $8 million and $9 million in federal grants annually. The complaint is part of a broader effort by Awake Illinois, which previously filed similar Title IX complaints against other districts and the Illinois State Board of Education. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Chicago Tribune
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville councilman McBroom, DuPage GOP, Awake Illinois battle District 203 over transgender female athletes
Naperville City Councilman Josh McBroom and DuPage County Republicans are among those attacking Naperville School District 203 over a junior high track meet at which it's claimed one of the winning athletes was a transgender girl. In a case that has evoked hundreds of online comments and national media attention, Naperville-based Awake Illinois Monday filed a federal Title IX complaint against the district with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. 'Some of the girls were left in tears (at the May 14 track meet),' McBroom wrote in a May 16 post on his Naperville City Council Facebook page. 'And parents are speaking out — not from a political place, but as concerned moms and dads who care deeply about fairness for our daughters.' He also made it a city issue by questioning why the Naperville office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, a department he has advocated for dissolving, did not speak out about the situation because 'residents deserve to see action when it matters most.' But it's also a subject that elicited support from area residents and the LGBTQ+ population and advocates, many of whom attended Monday's night's Naperville District 203 School Board meeting to laud the district for not yielding to the criticism. The situation is the latest in a series of complaints in Chicago and the suburbs centered on transgender students. Last month, Awake Illinois lodged similar allegations against Valley View District 365-U, which inspired passionate pleas in support of LGBTQ+ youth at a school board meeting for the Bolingbrook-Romeoville district. Chicago Public Schools and Deerfield Public Schools District 109 have also been subject to federal complaints over the past few months. Allegations against District 203 are tied to a junior high track meet held at Naperville North High School last week. Videos started circulating on social media of a Naperville student athlete winning events at the event alongside claims that she should not have competed in the girls' division. Posts have garnered thousands of views and hundreds of comments. In response, DuPage County Republicans on May 15 posted a statement on its Facebook page maintaining that female athletes 'should be allowed to compete fairly and safely in their desired sports.' As part of the statement, the local GOP linked to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February under which transgender athletes are banned from participating in girls' and women's sports. On the same day, Awake Illinois weighed in, noting on social media that it was prepared to file a federal civil rights complaint against District 203, which the group made good on four days later. At the core of Awake's complaint is that District 203 is in violation of 'current Title IX protections.' Title IX is a 1972 law forbidding discrimination based on sex in education. Last year, the Biden administration finalized new rules expanding the law to also prevent discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Those added provisions, however, were struck down nationwide in January after a federal judge in Kentucky found they overstepped the president's authority. McBroom spoke out on the situation on May 16 via Facebook. 'So here's my question: Where is the (city of Naperville's) DEI department now? Is its role just to host workshops and 'conversations'? Will it speak out on this issue?' McBroom wrote in his post. 'Will it engage the community? Or will it stay silent?' McBroom has not been shy about his skepticism of the city's DEI department. He has questioned the city's spending on DEI amid discussions over how Naperville will account for the $6.5 million in annual revenue it stands to lose when the state's grocery tax sunsets next year. In a guest column in the Naperville Sun last fall, McBroom wrote, 'Sharpening the pencil on the city budget is certainly in order and DEI should be on the short list of where to tighten.' Reached by phone, McBroom deferred to his Facebook post and declined further comment. Requests for comment from the city were not returned. In his post, McBroom also called on school boards and district leadership to 'lead.' 'Protect the girls in our schools. Step up. Take a stand. … We are watching. And we're waiting,' he wrote. The situation was also discussed in a segment of Fox News' America Reports Monday. People flooded the District 203 School Board meeting Monday night to speak for and against transgender student athletes and to denounce those who were sharing the student's identity and photo on social media. 'The use of a student's image, likeness or name to further a political agenda is abhorrent and unacceptable,' said Amanda Zigterman, parent of two District 203 students. 'Essentially, it is bullying on a local and national stage by adults who should know better.' But other parents and community activists were vocally opposed to biological males competing in sporting events against girls, saying it creates an unfair playing field and should not be allowed. 'What is the acceptable amount of genetic boys allowed to participate in girls sports divisions?' parent Jason Copeland said. 'If the answer is anything other than zero, that person isn't qualified to be on a board overseeing the protection and education of children at any level in this district.' More than 30 residents and community activists voiced their opinions for about 90 minutes. On one side of the room, audience members held up neon yellow signs with messages that included 'Protect Girls Sports,' 'Support Common Sense' and 'Defend Title IX.' The other side was filled with people waving flags supporting transgender and LGBTQ+ rights, wearing Naper Pride shirts and 'ally' buttons, and holding signs advocating for inclusion. Roughly two-thirds of the speakers voiced their support for the right of transgender students to compete in sports and criticizing those who would turn a child into a political pawn by spreading their image on social media. 'It's not just wrong. It is harmful,' Jon O'Toole said. 'As a person of faith, we are called to love our neighbors, to speak for the vulnerable and to make space at the table for everybody. That includes trans kids. Kids should be able to show up as their bold true selves, on the field, in the classroom, in their communities.' Playing sports is about teamwork, confidence and belonging, he added, and everyone deserves that chance. 'This is not about politics,' O'Toole said. 'This is about people. This is about a child who just wants to play with their friends and be accepted for who they are. We should be working to lift that child up and protect all students, not single them out for harm. Trans kids aren't up for debate. They are not a threat. They are not a problem that needs to be solved.' Parent Tim Thompson, father of two children, said he appreciated that the school board was upholding state law and allowing transgender students to compete. District 203 should be lauded for its support of inclusivity and not cowed into bending its beliefs by civil rights complaints. 'This is just another in a long list of ways that they are attacking and devaluing public education,' he said. '… Don't be fooled. It was never about a race. It was never about an athlete. This is an attempt to further marginalize a group and tell them they don't belong, that they aren't good enough.' Other speakers, however, said it's not fair to expect girls to compete against biological boys in sporting events. A student who was born male should not be able to take away girls' achievements, hard work and effort, they said. Parent Doug MacGregor noted that some parents spend thousands of dollars on sports coaches, training and camps for their daughters only to face unfair competiton due to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. 'When their daughter steps up for her chance to win a state championship or medal, she'll lose to a biological male,' he said. 'That once in a lifetime moment gone because of DEI's political agenda.' Parent Jenny George said there are clear disparities between male and female athletes. Her son, a high school track athlete, would rank first in girls' categories but is in the 300s when competing against boys, she said. 'Your job is to represent every student in this district, but you have turned your back on half of them,' George said. 'Women's sports exist to offer a competitive space for female athletes. When males enter those spaces in competition, it is women and girls who are pushed out — out of races, out of records and out of recognition. This is not progress. This is a huge step backwards.' Naperville resident Shannon Adcock, founder of Awake Illinois, said her organization is fighting for fairness and to uphold protections provided through Title IX. 'Now in 2025, you've got boys stealing girls' victories, leaving young girls sobbing on the track,' she said 'This isn't inclusion, it's oppression.' Adcock said she would like to see the $8.9 million the district receives in federal funding frozen until it abides by Title IX. The school board did not address the public comments, and no item was on the agenda related to its policies regarding transgender athletes. District officials declined comment after the meeting. A District 203 spokesperson also declined to comment, saying in an email, 'Please know that the district is committed to protecting the privacy of all students. In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and district policy, we cannot and will not share personal or identifiable information about any student without appropriate consent.' The district adheres to the Illinois Human Rights Act and the Illinois State Board of Education guidance, they said, 'which prohibit discrimination in schools and ensure full and equal access to programs and services regardless of gender identity or other protected characteristics.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Middle school girls left 'distraught' after transgender athlete dominates rivals in Illinois
Middle school parents were left in 'shock' and disbelief after a transgender athlete was reportedly allowed to dominate their female rivals at a track meet. It's alleged that the transgender pupil won several events while competing against seventh-grade girls during the Naperville School District 203 meet. At least one of the beaten kids was said to be 'distraught' and the controversy prompted fury among families. 'I was actually shocked. At first, I couldn't believe it,' Marie Davis told KBCD. 'I started talking to other parents, and it's like, is this really happening?' Another parent said: 'It's pretty upsetting to see your kid distraught out there trying to do her best and doesn't really have a shot.' It comes amid President Trump's attempts to ban transgender athletes from female events. After returning to the White House, the president signed an executive order entitled 'Keeping Men out of Women's Sports'. His administration has been at war with the state of Maine over its alleged failure to comply with his stance and now Naperville School District 203 is under attack. Social advocacy group Awake Illinois has reportedly filed a US Department of Education civil rights complaint, accusing the district of violating Title IX, which 'prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities.' Frustrations came to the boil at a fiery school board meeting on Monday night. It's said so many people turned up that organizers had to set up an overflow room. Many people held up transgender flags and signs which carried messages such as 'the future is inclusive'. 'This is not about politics. This is about people. This is about a child,' one speaker said. But others urged the district to 'support common sense' and 'stop exploiting kids.' 'No girl should be denied participating in a conference championship because a genetic boy is taking that spot,' another parent argued. In a statement to KCBD, the school district refused to discuss to track meet. 'In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and district policy, we cannot and will not share personal or identifiable information about any student,' it said.
